Enhanced aerobic fermentation methods for producing edible fungal mycelium blended meats and meat analogue compositions
AssigneeThe Better Meat Co.
InventorAugustus H. Pattillo
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Abstract
Provided herein are shelf-stable protein food ingredients, food products comprising the shelf-stable protein food ingredients, methods of their production, and methods of their use. The shelf-stable protein food ingredients comprise cultured fungal biomass and a limited amount of water. Advantageously, the shelf-stable protein food ingredients can be stored, transported, and delivered within the food supply.
Claims46
A method of producing a meat analogue food product from a filamentous fungal mycelium, wherein the method comprises:
- a) culturing a filamentous fungus from the genus Neurospora in a liquid growth medium to produce a filamentous fungal biomass slurry comprising about 0.5-8% biomass;
- b) harvesting the filamentous fungal biomass slurry and dewatering the filamentous fungal biomass slurry to produce a harvested filamentous fungal biomass comprising about 60-85% water and about 15-40% filamentous fungal biomass;
- c) dewatering the harvested filamentous fungal biomass to produce a filamentous fungal biomass cake;
- d) producing filamentous particles from the filamentous fungal biomass cake and drying the filamentous particles;
- e) sizing the dried filamentous particles to comprise a mean particle size between about 5 mm and about 50 mm;
- and
- f) hydrating the sized dried filamentous particles at about 30% to about 70% water content to form the meat analogue food product.
A method of producing a meat analogue food product from a filamentous fungal mycelium, wherein the method comprises:
- a) providing a shelf-stable protein food ingredient comprising:
- filamentous fungal particles from the genus Neurospora with a mean particle size between about 5 mm and about 50 mm, said filamentous fungal particles consisting essentially of cultured filamentous fungal biomass from the genus Neurospora in an amount at least about 94-96% w/w;
- and water in an amount of about 4% to about 6% w/w;
- and
- b) hydrating the shelf-stable protein food ingredient to between about 30% to 70% water content to form the meat analogue food product.
A food product comprising:
- a) filamentous fungal particles from the genus Neurospora with a mean particle size between about 5 mm and about 50 mm in an amount of at least about 5% w/w, and water in the amount of about 4% to about 6%;
- and
- b) a food ingredient in an amount of at least about 10% w/w.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.